HS Code 1208Flours and meals of oil seeds or oleaginous fruits; other than those of mustard
2 six-digit codes · Heading 8 of 14 in Chapter 12 · World Customs Organization Harmonized System
HS code 1208 is where ground oilseed products are classified, with one firm limit: mustard is left out. Soya bean flour has its own code, and every other oilseed flour shares a second one.
Heading 1208 splits exactly two ways. Goods answering to “Flours and meals of oil seeds or oleaginous fruits; other than those of mustard” classify either at 120810 or at 120890, and the wording in the table below is the whole of what separates them. The heading is number 8 of 14 in Chapter 12, Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit, industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder, which runs to 50 six-digit codes in all.
What oilseed flour means in the HS system
An oil seed is a seed grown mainly for its oil. Oleaginous fruits are fruits grown for the same reason. When these are ground into a fine powder or a coarser meal, the result is oilseed flour. That is the product this heading is built for.
The wording ends with a clear limit: other than those of mustard. A flour made from mustard does not belong here. Whole seeds do not belong here either, because a seed that has not been ground is not a flour or a meal. The seeds themselves are in the neighbouring headings of Chapter 12 oil seeds.
How to choose between 120810 and 120890
The difference between 120810 and 120890 is the plant the flour comes from. Work through these checks in order.
- First, confirm the goods have been ground. If they are whole or broken seeds, look at headings 1201 to 1207 instead.
- Next, ask if the flour or meal comes from soya beans. If yes, choose 120810. Buyers may call this soya bean flour or soybean meal flour.
- If it comes from any other oil seed or oleaginous fruit, choose 120890.
- If it comes from mustard, stop. Neither code applies, and the HS code classifier can help you find the right place.
HS, HSN and HTS: how the digits work
HS stands for Harmonized System. It is a shared list of product codes kept by the World Customs Organization. Codes work in layers. A section holds chapters, a chapter holds headings, and a heading holds subheadings.
Here, 1208 is the heading, and 120810 and 120890 are the subheadings. Most countries share these first six digits. HSN code 1208 and HTS code 1208 are national names for codes built on the same base.
Countries may add more digits after the sixth. These longer codes, and the duty tied to them, are set nationally. This page gives no duty figures, so check your own tariff before you ship.
Related oil seed headings in Chapter 12
Many of the seeds that get milled into flour have their own heading. Soya beans sit in 1201. Sunflower seeds sit in 1206. Seeds not named elsewhere sit in 1207. Seeds sold for planting, not for milling, sit in 1209.
Visit the chapter page to browse every heading in the group, or open the list of all HS code chapters to look at a different part of the system.
HS code 1208 import and export data
EximDataX shows shipment-level import and export records from official customs sources. Coverage: 43 direct customs feeds plus 184 mirror-derived countries. Named buyers and named suppliers are available in 38 of the 43 direct markets. Most markets refresh weekly and some refresh daily. You can search by HS code to see who imports and exports a product, and book a free demo.
Start with the import data or export data pages and enter 1208, 120810 or 120890. For company lists, go to buyer data and supplier data.
Nearby headings in Chapter 12
- 1202Ground-nuts; not roasted or otherwise cooked, whether or not shelled or broken3 codes
- 1203Copra1 code
- 1204Oil seeds; linseed, whether or not broken1 code
- 1205Rape or colza seeds; whether or not broken2 codes
- 1206Sunflower seeds; whether or not broken1 code
- 1207Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, n.e.c. in chapter 12; whether or not broken10 codes
- 1209Seeds, fruit and spores; of a kind used for sowing10 codes
- 1210Hop cones, fresh or dried, whether or not ground, powdered or in the form of…2 codes
- 1211Plants and parts of plants (including seeds and fruits), of a kind used…6 codes
- 1212Locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar beet, sugar cane, fresh…7 codes
- 1213Cereal straw and husks, unprepared; whether or not chopped, ground, pressed…1 code
- 1214Swedes, mangolds, fodder roots, hay, lucerne (alfalfa), clover, sainfoin…2 codes
Who ships under 1208?
EximDataX tracks the live import–export records filed under this heading and the 2 codes beneath it: named buyers, suppliers, quantities and values from official customs feeds.
Section II: Vegetable Products, chapters 06–14.
HS Code 1208: common questions
What is HS code 1208?
It is the four-digit heading for ground oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, in flour or meal form. Mustard flour is excluded.
What is the HS code for soya bean flour?
Soya bean flour and meal go under 120810.
What is the difference between 120810 and 120890?
The first covers soya bean flour and meal. The second covers flour and meal from any other oil seed or oleaginous fruit, but not mustard.
Is mustard flour classified under 1208?
No. The heading text rules mustard out, and 120890 also excludes mustard seeds.
Are whole oil seeds classified under 1208?
No. This heading is for ground products. Whole or broken seeds are in headings 1201 to 1207, depending on the seed.
Is heading 1208 the same in every country?
The heading and its six-digit codes are shared by countries using the Harmonized System. National codes add more digits, so the full code can differ between countries.
See what your buyers are buying.Then decide.
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